Everybody Hurts
by Boo112
Summary: Sequel to 'After The Heartbreak.'
1. Chapter 1

**Sequel to 'After the Heartbreak.'**

_**End of 'After the Heartbreak.' – Carla's brother arrived at her birthday party!**_

_This fic is set three months on; Ryan arrived back on the cobbles a couple of weeks ago and is causing trouble as he is on drugs. Carla and Rob have grown very close as a brother and sister, and Peter and Rob have a growing-friendship despite a rocky start. And for the sake of this fic, Cieran has returned, and he is back with Michelle. _

_Rob is living at Carla's old flat, along with Michelle and Ryan._

* * *

Ryan wandered into the Rovers, where Rob was sat having a drink and chatting to Eva.

"Hey Rob!" Ryan called.

"Alright Ryan?" Rob replied.

"Yeah I was just wondering if I could borrow your car later? I wanna go to a party, but I don't exactly want my Mum to drop-me off or pick-me up if you uh…..get my drift?" Ryan told Rob in confidence.

"Why, what are you gonna get-up to?" Rob asked suspiciously.

"Nothing….." Ryan trailed-off, but his lying skills were awful.

"Yeah right mate. And I don't think I want to let you borrow my car if you're gonna be completely off your face when you come home. Sorry mate but no. I can give you a lift there though if you want?" Rob offered.

"No way. No-one wants a looser like you to give them a lift to a party. Besides I've said that I'll give some of my mates a lift. Come-on Rob, I'll look after your car.

"Not a chance in hell mate." Rob responded simply. He wasn't allowing Ryan to borrow his car and that was final.

"Awrh that's out of order man!" Ryan said angrily before he then left the Rovers, a furious look on his face.

Carla wandered in as Ryan stormed-out and laughed as Rob looked-at her.

"What's-up with him?" Carla asked as she quietly-giggled.

"He wanted to borrow my car and I said no." Rob laughed. "Anyway how are you Sis?" He asked.

"Not Bad. Peter's working his socks-off in the Bookies so I've been left-alone for my lunch-break today.

Rob chuckled. "He's mad that boyfriend of yours Car. I mean, who works through their lunch-break?" He Joked.

"Yeah I sometimes wonder that myself Rob." Carla told him in reply.

* * *

Later that afternoon, Carla went to visit Peter in the bookies.

"Hiya Love." Peter said quickly whilst serving a customer as Carla entered the bookies. "Sorry about that mate. Better luck next time ey?" Peter told the man sympathetically as the disappointed-man walked-away.

"Oh just look at my man all hard at work." Carla teased him as he tidied some gambling slips away.

"Oh be quiet will you." Peter snapped at Carla.

"Well I'm sorry for having a sense of humour!" Carla back-chatted at him.

Peter sighed. "Oh I'm sorry love. I'm just tired that's all. It's been a busy old day." He told Carla as he took a-hold of her hand from over the counter.

"Yeah well maybe you should close-up early ey?" Carla suggested to Peter softly.

"No Love I can't do that." Peter said as 2 more customers entered the Bookies. One of them being Cieran. "Look, I'm up to me ears with customers today. You were lucky you got this conversation with me alright? Peter told Carla, softly but calmly.

"Alright. I'll cya later then yeah? Hopefully you won't be so stressed-out by then!" Carla responded before she then left the Bookies, leaving Peter to get on with his work and serve the waiting customers.

* * *

Back at Rob's flat, Ryan was stood-outside eyeing-up Rob's Car.

"You're not borrowing it mate!" Rob told Ryan as he arrived home from the Rovers Return.

"Oh come-on mate! I'm not gonna wreck your car." Ryan slurred aggressively.

"Ry. Have you taken something? Something illegal?" Rob asked.

"No. What're you on 'bout mate?" Ryan argued-back.

"Oh Really? Because I'd recognise the smell of your breath from miles-off. And it ain't pretty so I suggest you stop taking whatever you're taking, because it'll be the end of ya mate!" Rob warned Ryan.

"Just shut-up will you!" Ryan shouted. "Anyway. I've already got ya keys off the rack. That was a bit stupid weren't it…..Mmmate!" He continued.

"You took my keys without permission?" Rob said in a raised-voice, fed-up of Ryan's attitude now.

"Yeah that's right. And I'm gonna take your car without permission too!" Ryan told Rob as she unlocked the car.

As Ryan went to get in the car, Rob charged towards him and pinned-him-up against the wall.

"You're not going **ANYWHERE **in my car. And especially not whilst you're in this state. Do you hear me?" Rob told Ryan furiously.

"GET-OFF-OF ME!" Ryan shouted as he shoved Rob backwards and then made a quick dart for the car. Getting into the drivers' seat, locking the doors, and then starting the engine.

Rob dashed around the front of the car, and stood about a metre away from the bonnet so that Ryan was prevented from driving anywhere in the car. But it didn't work. Ryan revved the engine three times, before heading the car straight towards Rob, and Rob was forced to dive out of the way before the car ran-him-over.

Rob felt a pain in his leg and so rolled his jeans-up to reveal that he had cut his knee whilst diving out of the way of Ryan. "He's a dead-man when I see him next…..IF he's not already dead that is….." Rob muttered to himself. There was nothing that he could do now.

* * *

Ryan raced the car through the streets of Weatherfield. Loud, Rap Music blaring out of the windows as he continuously skipped red-lights, over-took cars, and dodged anything or anyone who got in his way.

He drove the car erratically through Coronation Street. Beeping his horn as he swerved through the streets. Norris sent gossip flying round the Kabin as he watched the car speed-off, but everything soon came to a holt as the screeching of car breaks was heard, followed by an almighty crash.

"Oh my goodness. What was that noise?" Rita asked Norris as they headed-out onto the Street together to try and find-out what had happened that had cause the humungous noise to sound.

"RITA. NORRIS. OVER HERE!" Karl Called. Ryan's car had crashed into the Bookies, knocking-someone-over, and trapping Cieran amongst the mess.

"Karl. What an earth has happened?" Rita asked.

"I don't know just get Carla for me will ya?" Karl commanded Rita, but she didn't have too. Carla had been upstairs in the flat and had just rushed-down to see what all the fuss was about.

"What the hell has just happened?" Carla asked as she emerged from the flat, and was shocked to find a car crashed into the Bookies.

"That's Rob's Car. And Peter was in there!" She said in a panic as crowds of residents from the Street started to gather-around, including Rob and Michelle. Rob had rushed-off to get Michelle when Ryan had darted-off with his car.

"Carla!" Rob called.

"ROB! Oh thank-goodness you're safe! But who's been driving your car?" Carla asked in floods of tears as she hugged her older-brother.

Rob sighed sadly. "Ryan….." Rob trailed-off and Michelle screamed from behind the pair of them as she over-heard the conversation taking place between the brother and sister.

"Oh 'Chelle. I'm sure he'll be okay." Rob said as he put his arm around Michelle.

"Oh I flamin' well hope so Rob!" Michelle cried.

"Has someone called an ambulance?" Carla called around as she worried about Peter, and why he hadn't rung-her or escaped from the rubble yet?

"I'm sure someone has." Rob replied and as he did, Ryan emerged from the mess with a scratch on his head and his clothes all dusty from all of the mess.

"Ryan?" Michelle questioned. "Oh my gosh you're safe!"

"Where's Peter? ROB. Where's Peter?" Carla asked in a panic, but she got no response as Rob grabbed hold of Ryan and dragged-him away before Michelle had the chance to realise that he had been high on drugs.

Cieran hobbled out of the wreck and spotted Carla and Michelle. "Carla. Peter's in there. The car hit-him. He's in a bad-way. I'm really sorry sweetheart." Cieran broke the sad-news to Carla breathlessly as he was hugged by Michelle.

"Well why didn't you help him?" Carla screamed at Cieran.

"I tried Carla I promise you. But Karl won't let me. The fire-engines and the ambulances are on their way. I'm sure he'll be fine." Cieran tried to re-assure Carla, but it was way too late for that. Carla went running into the crash-site that was the Bookies and found an unconscious Peter lying amongst the collapsing building.

"Peter. Baby. I love you." Carla cried as she gripped onto his hand for dear-life as the three emergency services all began to arrive at the crash-site.

* * *

**Woah. Dramatic opening! But it's how I wanted it to be. It's the story to come that's the important bit! Please-Review! And keep reading! :) **


	2. Chapter 2

_**Thanks to 'dani' and 'ilovecarlaconnor' for the first two reviews to this fic!**_

* * *

Rob had shoved Ryan away from the Crash-Site and into the garage by his flat so he could give him a good talking-too.

"What the HELL do you think you playing at you idiot?" Rob shouted at Ryan.

"Well I didn't exactly plan on crashing it into the Bookies did I?" Ryan argued-back.

"Well ya did mate. And dya know why ya did it? Because you were off-yer face on drugs that's why!" Rob yelled, but Ryan just laughed.

"What's so funny?" Rob asked as he grabbed Ryan's shirt and had him hoisted-up against the wall. "My Sister could've been in there!" Rob said as he began to kick-off at Ryan.

"Okay. Well I'm sorry alright?" Ryan shouted into Rob's face as Rob let him go, realising that he had to restrain himself from hurting Ryan as he had only just come-out of prison.

* * *

Back at the crash-site, the emergency services had arrived and had moved-Carla away from Peter, leaving her with Michelle as they freed Peter from the mess.

"Peter can you hear me?" One of the paramedics asked as an oxygen mask was placed over his face. Peter groaned in response. He was conscious, but barely.

"Michelle, tell me he's gonna be alright. PLEASE, tell-me he's gonna be alright?" Carla cried into Michelle's arms as Michelle tried to stop Carla from running-over to Peter as they stretchered-him-out of the crash-site. But her attempts failed as Carla broke-free from Michelle's tight but comforting grip and ran-over to the ambulance which Peter was being put-into.

"'Chelle!" Cieran called as he limped-over to Michelle. "Is Peter gonna be alright?" He asked-her as he approached-her.

"I dunno Cieran." Michelle responded, close to tears herself as she watched Carla squeeze Peter's hand tightly as she cried her heart-out. "Where did Ryan get to?" She asked.

"Oh I dunno sweetheart. Rob dragged-him off somewhere." Cieran told Michelle truthfully, and she sighed sadly.

"Ohhh I hope he's okay! This can't be happening Cieran! Carla's been through enough in the past-year as it is. This is the last-thing she needs. And with Ryan being off-the-rails, I just don't know if I can handle anymore heartbreak…..First Dean, then Paul and then Liam…..I've gotta get Ryan back on track!" Michelle cried as Cieran hugged-her.

* * *

Ryan and Rob were still chatting in the garage. Ryan was sat on the dusty floor of the garage, his legs crossed, with his chin resting on his knees. Meanwhile, Rob was pacing up and down the garage, wondering what an earth he should do with Ryan now that he had him here.

"Did anyone get hurt?" Ryan asked, the effects of the drugs beginning to wear-off now.

"Well I heard Cieran saying that Peter was in a bad-way…..And it's all your fault mate. Carla…..She'd be broken if anything happened to Peter!" Rob said tearfully, physically shaking in worry, but he was fed-up of shouting at the rebel-kid now.

"Peter? What? Oh mate, Peter's gonna be okay ain't he?" Ryan asked, feeling guilty that he had injured one of his good-friends. Ryan had a lot of respect for Peter ever-since he had dated his Mother for a little-while.

"I Dunno. But I hope you realise that the police are gonna be all over this. And the fact that it was my car means that they're gonna be after-me. And I won't lie for you Ryan! I refuse to go back-inside again! You're gonna have to own-up. Because no-one is gonna save-ya. Not this time mate!" Rob said before he wandered-out of the garage. "You stay here. And if you even do so much as think about moving…..Then I'll beat ya to a pulp, you got me?" Rob warned Ryan before heading-outside of the garage to text Carla.

_**Rob: **Hey 's Peter?_

_**Carla: **Pretty unconscious if ya ask me. He was awake b4 but he's slipped-off again. _

_**Rob: **Oh. Well let me no what's happenin with him. OK? _

_**Carla: **I will._

* * *

It wasn't long until the Paramedics had arrived at the hospital with Peter and a very worried Carla in tow walking closely behind them.

Peter was wheeled through to intensive care, still unconscious. And Carla waited outside as she realised that she needed to let Ken and Deirdre know, let alone Simon, who would soon be home from school. A very tearful Carla rang Ken and Deidre's home-phone in hope that someone would answer. Eventually, Deirdre came to the phone.

_**Deirdre: **Hello?_

_**Carla: **Hiya Deirdre…..Urm…..Is Ken there? _

_**Deirdre: **Oh Hello. And urm, no sorry he's not. He's just gone to collect Simon from school, because Peter's busy in the bookie's today….._

_**Carla: **Yeah I know. That's what I wanted to talk to him about…..Deirdre, there has been a bit of an emergency….._

_**Deirdre: **Ya what? Go on….._

_**Carla: **Well…..Sorry to be so blunt but there's no better way of putting it. Urm…..Basically a car crashed in the Bookies and urm…..Peter's been badly hurt…..I'm at the hospital with him now….._

_**Deirdre: **Oh my gosh, is he okay?_

_**Carla: **Not exactly Deirdre no…..He's unconscious….._

_**Deirdre: **Right…..I don't know how I'm gonna tell Ken though…..He was devastated enough over the tram-crash…..And now this…..I don't think he's gonna take-it too well Carla….._

_**Carla: **Yeah well I'm barely holding it together meself so I'm gonna go now…..Listen…..Can you let Leanne know for me? She won't want to hear-it from me…..But she needs to know…..For Si's sake if no-one else's….. _

_**Deirdre: **Right, I will do. Let me know what's going on, and how Peter's getting on and things alright? _

_**Carla: **Of-Course I will. Cya Deirdre. _

_**Deirdre: **Bye then Carla….._

* * *

Back at the Garage, Ryan was beginning to go crazy as Rob continued to stop him from going anywhere. He kicked at the garage door, punched walls, and even tried to get to Rob at some-points, but Rob's time in prison had taught him some self-defence skills, so the swinging arms didn't bother Rob in the slightest.

"You're NOT going anywhere mate. And you're not even leaving this garage until you calm-down." Rob told Ryan firmly as he caught his punches into his hands.

"I'm not gonna cause anymore trouble Rob. I promise! I just want to know how Peter is!" Ryan told Rob…..Truthfully.

"Peter's in no-fit state to see anyone going by what Carla is saying…..And you're the last-person he's gonna want to see right-now." Rob said, a little more calmly than before.

* * *

Michelle was sat in the Rovers with Cieran, who despite a few cuts and bruises, and a sore-leg, was absolutely fine.

"Have you heard anything from Carla?" Cieran asked Michelle as he sat in the Rovers with a cold beer, trying to drink away the pain.

"No darlin'. I'm sorry. I know you're worried about Peter." Michelle told him sadly, she was close to tears.

"He doesn't deserve this ya know 'Chelle? Why is it always Peter? Simon's Mother dying, the alcohol problems, the tram-crash, and now we're here. Why does it have to be Peter, 'Chelle? WHY?" 'Cieran asked Michelle frustratedly, close to tears himself now.

* * *

Back at the hospital, the Doctor that was treating Peter had finally emerged out of the room to speak to Carla.

"How is he?" Carla asked, worriedly, as she quickly stood-up and walked-over to the Doctor.

"Still unconscious, when the paramedics found him, there was a large plank across Peter's chest which we suspect crushed his lungs, which explains the unconsciousness. He's also broken his leg and there's definitely been some damage to his shoulder, but we can't be sure what exactly until he's conscious." The Doctor told Carla sadly.

"My Gosh is there any good-news?" Carla asked, tears streaming down her face, but she was keeping the sobbing to a minimum, she couldn't let Peter see that she was crying when he woke-up.

"He's still alive. That's the good-news Carla. We've got some of the best Doctors in the country in there treating-him…..I'm sure he'll be fine." The Doctor said, trying to re-assure Carla that Peter would pull through this.

"Yeah well I'll believe-that when I see-it….." Carla told the Doctor, sighing, before she then took a couple of steps backwards and then returning to her seat.


	3. Chapter 3

It was getting late now, and with still no sign of Rob or Ryan, Michelle and Cieran had headed to the hospital. When they arrived, Carla was asleep, her hand gripping Peter's arm and her head resting against the bed-sheets.

Michelle gently shook Carla's shoulder. "Carla." She whispered. Carla slowly stirred and looked straight at Peter as she sat-up, before then looking at Michelle. "Hat's happened 'Chelle? Why did ya wake-me? Has the Doctor told ya anything about Peter?" Carla asked, looking at Peter and seeing that he was still unconscious and that it was still the same day.

"Listen Carla, Cieran is gonna stay here with Peter tonight, how about you go home and get some proper rest ey?" Michelle tried to reason with Carla.

"Oh. No. No. I need to be here with Peter. I mean, what if he wakes-up?" Carla questioned Michelle and Cieran.

"Then I would ring you straight-away." Cieran tried to re-assure Carla, but she wasn't having any of it.

"Yeah I might have believed ya if it weren't Peter lying there. He won't wanna worry-me so he'll convince ya not to ring-me. So I'm staying here so he has no choice in the matter." Carla told Michelle and Cieran, tiredly but firmly.

"Fine, but I'm staying anyway." Cieran replied.

"Yeah, that way he can keep an eye of ya. Can't he?" Michelle said, trying to make Carla smile as she hadn't done much of that lately. And Carla did smile at Michelle before turning her attention back to Peter, who was still unconscious.

* * *

Rob had shoved Ryan into the flat now, and Ryan had shut-himself into his bed-room.

Rob rang Michelle as he sat-himself-down onto the sofa, hoping that there would be some news on Peter.

_**Rob: **Hey 'Chelle. Any news on Peter?_

_**Michelle: **Well Carla said that the Doctors think he's got a crushed lung, and probably a few broken bones. He's still unconscious so it's difficult to say too much yet….._

_**Rob: **Right, well let me know yeah? And tell Carla that I'm here if she needs me….._

_**Michelle: **I will. By the way, Rob have you seen Ryan? _

_**Rob: **Yeah. He's with me at the flat. He's shut himself into his room. _

_**Michelle: **Thank-Goodness for that! I've been so worried about him. _

_**Rob: **Well he's fine, but he's gonna need a good-old-talking to if you ask-me….._

_**Michelle: **What dya mean? _

_**Rob: **_*Silence.*

_**Michelle: **ROB. Come-On tell-me, what dya mean? _

_**Rob: **He's on drugs 'Chelle…..When he crashed into the bookies…..He'd been taking drugs then…..But don't kick-off, and whatever you do don't tell-anyone that you know that. The police will be questioning him enough about the crash anyway…..If they find-out that he's a druggie, then he'll be sent down for years….._

_**Michelle: **Right. Well thanks for telling-me Rob….._

_**Rob: **S'alright. _

Michelle put the phone-down, and after holding-it together as she said goodbye to Cieran and Carla, she then ran-out of the hospital in floods of tears. She couldn't believe that her son, her OWN son, had turned-himself into a druggie.

* * *

Ken had arrived at the hospital now; Deirdre was at home with Simon. They didn't want him to know anything, not just yet anyway. But they could only go-so-long before Simon would find-out the truth for himself.

Suddenly Peter started coughing and gasping for breath from behind the oxygen-mask. He was awake. "Peter?" Carla double-checked, not quite believing it herself just yet. "PETER! Cieran get the Doctor! I think he's coming-around." Carla said as a couple of tears fell-down from her eyes and across her cheeks. She was so relieved that Peter was awake.

The Doctor entered the room almost immediately and helped Peter's breathing to calm-down. "Peter just try and breathe normally for me okay." The Doctor ordered as he filled-up a cup of water for him.

It took a couple of minutes for Peter's breathing to return back into a steady-rhythm, but after it had-done, he turned to Carla and gently smiled, despite the pain that ached throughout his whole-body.

"Hey." Peter said, croakily from where he had been unconscious for quite a while. He pulled the oxygen-mask away from his face and rested-it on his chest so that he could talk to Carla properly.

"Hey Baby. Drink this. It'll help ya throat." Carla suggested, handing him the cup of water that the Doctor had filled for him.

Peter winced in pain as he swallowed the water. It killed Carla to see him like this. Barely able to breath without feeling some sort of immense pain.

Ken approached the end of the bed. "Hey Son." Ken said, relieved that the worst of it was over.

"Hiya Dad." Peter said breathlessly.

"Hey take it easy you." Carla told-him, gently kissing him on the lips before she then moved the oxygen-mask back over his face.

"Yeah mate, do what the lady says ey?" Cieran teased, finally getting the chance to speak to his best-mate since he had woken-up.

Peter pulled the oxygen-mask right-off this time, fed-up of it as he placed it onto the bed-side table. He tried to laugh at Cieran's comment but it pained-him to do so, putting on a brave-face as he hid the true amount of pain that he was in.

Carla frowned as she watched Peter trying to fight the pain-away. Sometimes she wished that he would just give-in and accept some sympathy and some help, but here he was trying to act all strong and as if nothing was wrong with him.

"How are you anyway pal?" Cieran asked softly.

"Good as new mate." Peter joked, and Cieran laughed, but Carla wasn't so amused by Peter's attempt to laugh this off like it was a graze on the knee or something that would heal-over within a few-days.

"Peter, come-on, you could've died!" Carla said, deadly seriously.

Peter could see the worry in Carla's eyes, and squeezed her hand re-assuringly with the little-strength that he had left in him at the moment. "Love. I'm Fine." He said, trying to hold back the pain, but also the laughter as Cieran pulled-faces behind Carla's back.

"No you're not. You've broken ya leg, hurt ya shoulder, but importantly you've got a crushed-lung, you need to be resting, not having a laugh with your mates." Carla said, turning-around as she spotted Cieran pulling face behind-her-back.

"That's not funny Cieran. Do ya want him to get-worse? DO YA?" Carla said angrily at Cieran as she got-up into his face. She definitely knew how to handle-men.

"No of-course I don't Carla. But it's just called having a sense-of-humour!" He replied in his deep-Irish accent.

"Oh. Just Go Will Ya Cieran?" Carla shouted at him.

"Carla, come-on. He's just trying to cheer-me-up that's all." Peter said to Carla, gently tugging at her hands.

"Nah listen mate, it's fine. I should be getting-back to Michelle anyway. I'll come and see ya tomorrow yeah? Don't flirt with the Nurses!" Cieran said, and those were his final-words before he then left the room.

"Carla. I'm fine." Peter said to Carla softly as she turned-back around to face-him. "Aren't I Dad?" He asked.

"No Carla's right Peter. You should be taking-it easy." Ken said, agreeing with Carla.

"Oh I'm sorry for ruining ya fun baby." Carla said as Peter tried to sit-up, but his lungs weren't strong enough to hold that amount of energy yet and it hurt Peter.

"Are you okay?" Carla asked, watching Peter struggling to breathe as the pain hit-him once-again.

"Fine." Peter insisted.

"Oh darlin' no yer not. Come-Here." She said as she leaned-over him and placed the gentlest of kisses onto his forehead. "I love you." She whispered tearfully into his ear.

"I love you too." He whispered back to her.

"Sorry if I had a go at Cieran. I know you and him are close-mates. But I just didn't want you doing to much. You've been unconscious since this afternoon, and you need to rest yer body okay? That's the only way you'll get stronger. I thought I was gonna loose you earlier…..When I saw you being stretchered into the ambulance, and I don't wanna risk loosing ya again. Alright Baby?" Carla told Peter calmly and truthfully.

"It's Okay. I understand sweetheart." Peter said tiredly as he kissed the back of Carla's hand. "Dad is there any news on who did it yet?" Peter asked and Ken sighed.

"Well…..It was Rob's car…..But as Carla will tell-you it wasn't Rob who was driving the car….." Ken trailed-off, not wanting to upset his son with this news.

"Then who was?" Peter asked. "Dad. Come-On. Tell-Me. Who was the idiot that crashed into the Bookies and nearly killed-me?" Peter asked them both frustratingly.

"It was Ryan darlin'….." Carla trailed-off sadly as she gripped Peter's hand a little more tightly than before. "It was Ryan." She repeated tearfully, as she rested her face against Peter's hand which she had a hold-of.

* * *

_**Please-Review!**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**Just a short-chapter. - Ryan being the centre of it. :)**_

* * *

Michelle had eventually returned to the flat to find Rob and Ryan sat-on the sofa together in a tense silence. You cut the atmosphere with a knife.

"So. It is true?" Michelle asked Ryan angrily.

"Is what true?" Ryan asked moodily.

"Are you on drugs?" She continued, putting it simply as she bit back the tears that threatened to fall-down her face.

"No….." He denied it.

"As if mate." Rob replied.

"Oh just shut-up will ya Rob!" Ryan said to Rob harshly and rather rudely aswell.

Rob violently grabbed the front of Ryan's shirt and pulled-him towards his face so that they were just inches away from each-other.

"DON'T TELL-ME TO SHUT-UP!" Rob spat into Ryan's face. "And it's about time that you started telling ya Mother the truth mate." He told him firmly before releasing his shirt as he stood-up and then took a couple of steps-away from Ryan before he physically harmed him in anyway, shape, or form.

"So I guess you are then…..On Drugs that is." Michelle said furiously, but also very-tearfully as she realised that her son had come-off the rails quite severely.

"I've told you…..NO I'm not." Ryan answered-back.

"Oh ya know what just get-out will ya Ryan? I don't wanna see you whilst you're like this." Michelle said, very-close to giving-up on her son altogether. "Come-back when you're ready to talk to me."

Ryan just stared at his Mother. He couldn't believe that she was actually throwing-him-out of his own-home.

"GO ON. JUST GO!" Michelle shouted and Rob ran-over to her as Ryan stormed-out and Michelle burst into floods of tears. Rob hugged Michelle tightly as she cried her eyes-out. "I'm loosing my son Rob. This isn't the little-boy that I brought-up. This isn't the pop-star that he's always wanted to be!" Michelle cried as Rob held-her closely, comforting-her as-much as he could as she poured her heart-out to him.

* * *

The next-morning, Cieran had popped-home to make-sure that Michelle was okay, and leaving-her in Rob's capable hands, he decided to go back to the hospital to visit Peter. Deirdre and Leanne were in the waiting room, whilst Carla, Ken and Simon were in with Peter.

"Alright Ladies?" Cieran said as he approached Deirdre and Leanne. "How's Peter?"

"Like I care….." Leanne trailed-off; only there because she was taking-care of Simon whilst Peter couldn't, and Simon had wanted to see his Father.

"Oh come-on Leanne that's a bit harsh isn't it? He could've died." Cieran told her seriously. "Deirdre, maybe you could be a bit more helpful ey?" Cieran requested.

"Peter's urm…..He's doing-okay I suppose…..Considering everything that has happened. He's holding-it together for Simon's sake, but he must be in so much pain…..It's gonna take a while for his to recover from this one I think….." Deirdre trailed-off sadly.

"Right." Cieran replied before heading-into the room to see Peter.

* * *

Carla was led on the bed next to Peter, cuddled-up to him as she lay on her side with her arm carefully and tenderly draped over his stomach. Ken was sat on the chair next to the bed with Simon sat on his lap, nervously holding his Father's hand.

"Hey buddy!" Cieran said, rather chirpily as he entered the room.

"Hey Pal." Peter replied and Carla smiled at Cieran gently.

"How're ya feeling?" Cieran asked Peter.

"Fine….." Peter trailed-off, glancing-over at Simon so that Cieran knew to change the subject.

"So, have ya pulled-any of the Nurses then yet mate?" Cieran asked jokingly.

Peter was still weak, but he tried to laugh, despite the pain that it caused him.

"Hey, why would I need to pull any Nurses hey mate? I already have the most beautiful girl in the word." Peter charmed as he felt Carla's warm-breath smile against his arm, gently kissing-it in return for the compliment.

"Ah I see, so it takes a close-shave with death to turn you into a charmer then ey?" Cieran teased Peter.

Cieran turned his attention to Simon for a second. "And how are you then Simon?" Cieran asked the little-lad.

"Better now that Dad is awake." Simon said quietly and as he did, a teenage-lad burst into the room. Ryan.

"Ry?" Peter questioned, almost to himself more than anyone-else.

"What the flamin' heck is he doing-here?" Carla asked angrily as she got-up off-of the bed and stormed towards Ryan.

"Get-out Ryan you have no right to be here." Carla told-him viciously.

"Uh, come-on Simon, let's go for a little-walk ey?" Cieran suggested as he ushered Simon out of the room, leaving Peter and his family to deal with this-one.

"You're the person who hurt my son! I'm warning you boy, you better leave within the next 5 Seconds before I do something that I'll regret for the rest of my life." Ken said threateningly.

"Carla, Dad. Leave-him. Please!" Peter said as strongly as he could manage without it causing him too much pain, and Carla and Ken both backed-off a little.

Peter looked at Ryan.

"Made a bit of a mess-up on this one haven't ya mate?" Peter said, calmly, but disappointment evident in the tone of his voice and his facial-expressions.

"Peter. Mate. I'm so sorry." Ryan said, in shock from the state that Peter looked-in.

"I know you are mate. But you've gotta sort this out. Because I don't have a clue what I'm gonna say to the police. I can delay them using a bit of concussion as an excuse but….."

Peter was about to go-on, when he was interrupted by Carla.

"Oh no you don't. Peter. Baby. Come-On. I know you like Ryan and everything, but don't try and help-him, not after he almost killed-you yesterday afternoon!" Carla told Peter firmly.

"Again, Carla's right Peter. He doesn't deserve your sympathy." Ken added-onto Carla's comment.

"I know I don't!" Ryan intervened. "And I'm not after-any. My Mum's already kicked-me-out…..Well…..Until I'm ready to talk that is…..But I had to see how Peter was…..This was the last-thing I wanted to happen…..Really. You've gotta believe-me when I say that!" Ryan pleaded-with-them. He generally did feel awful about what had happened to Peter and the Bookies.

"Go back to your Mum, Ryan. Apology accepted alright? I've heard you out, but I don't want you here." Peter told Ryan gently, as Ryan then turned-away and walked-out of the door.

* * *

**_The Police-Investigations will start soon! _**

**_But in the meantime Please-Review! :)_**


	5. Chapter 5

That afternoon, Peter and Carla were finally given some time alone together. Peter lay tiredly in the hospital bed, as Carla sat beside him, a cup of coffee in one hand, and the other hand placed gently over Peter's nearest arms.

"How are you feelin'?" Carla asked him delicately.

"Not Great….." Peter trailed-off quietly.

"Well I'm not surprised, listen I'm gonna pop home later-on, do ya want me to get anything for ya?" Carla asked him sweetly, shooting him the softest of smiles.

"A change of clothes…..Something to do maybe? I mean it's not like I can move is it?" Peter stated to Carla in reply, he was obviously immensely bored of this place already.

"Hey you've got to be patient. You were unconscious not so long ago. Ya body's still weak darlin'….." Carla told-Peter, moving her hand-up towards his face and gently stroking his cheek.

"I know, I know…..Sorry I'm a rubbish patient aren't I?" Peter joked, trying to laugh along with Carla but I caused him too much pain to laugh at the moment.

"Yes you are. But take-it easy ey? Are you okay?" Carla asked, concerned about the love of her life.

"I'm fine." Peter Insisted.

Carla just looked at him lovingly for a couple seconds, knowing that-that wasn't true, but choosing not to fight-it for now, so she simply showed-him affection instead. "I love you." Carla whispered to him as she took his hand into her-own and placed a loving, but tender-kiss onto the back of it.

Peter smiled weakly at her. "I love you too." He whispered in response as he closed his eyes in exhaustion.

* * *

Back on the Street, Ryan walked-into the Rovers, where Rob was stood at the bar, and Leanne was sat with Ken and Deirdre.

"Why is HE not barred?" Ken said furiously, knowing that Ryan was the guy who had almost killed his son.

"Ken just leave-it ey?" Leanne suggested.

"Yeah, Leanne's right Ken, just let the police deal with the likes of him okay?" Deirdre added onto the end of Leanne's suggestion.

"I CAN hear you, ya know?" Ryan butted-in rudely as he approached Rob with a frustrated look on his face.

"Well what do you expect mate?" Rob asked-him, but it was a rhetorical question. "Ya Mum's in bits, where've ya been?" He questioned-him.

"Well she's the one who told-me to get-out! And I went to see Peter." Ryan told Rob truthfully.

"You WHAT?" Rob asked.

"Yeah I know, I went to see the guy I almost killed…..I went to apologise ya know? It's generally what ya do when you almost kill someone?" Ryan said, he obviously carried the dark sense of humour and sarcasm that the rest of the Connor family owned, even Carla, and she wasn't even blood-related.

"And did he accept your apology?" Rob interrogated.

"Yeah he did…..But he doesn't wanna know me….." Ryan trailed-off sadly.

"Well you almost killed the bloke mate, you can hardly expect a warm-welcome from him!" Rob told Ryan firmly. "So are you off the drugs for good now then?" He asked slyly, no-one-else could hear this conversation.

"I can't give-up the drugs." Ryan muttered in reply.

"Rubbish Mate." Rob sighed in annoyance.

"Oh come-on Rob, you've been inside, you know what it's like!" Ryan tried to make Rob understand-him, but with little-luck.

"Yeah exactly, I've been inside, so I know that-that stuff…..It's no good for ya, and the longer you carry-on taking-it, the more people you're gonna hurt. You've almost killed Peter. The next person you run-over might not be so lucky!" Rob told him angrily before downing the rest of his drink and then heading-out of the Rovers.

Ken approached Ryan as Rob left. "If you think we're gonna let Peter come-up with a cover-up story for ya, then you can forget-it. He almost died in that wreckage and it's your entire fault. You're going down boy. I'm gonna make-sure that the police lock-you-up and then throw-away the key. Do you understand?" Ken threatened him in secret before going back-down to sit with Leanne and Deirdre.

Ryan swallowed with force as he thought about what Ken had just said. He didn't wanna go to prison! What had he done?

* * *

Back at the hospital, the police had arrived to question Peter about the crash.

"So Mr Barlow."

"Call-Me Peter…..Please?" Peter requested.

"Okay…..Peter, can you tell-us your turn of events please?" The Officer asked.

"Urm…..I was in the Bookies, where I work…..Chatting to my mate Cieran…..And then the next thing I know…..I'm waking-up in here….." Peter told-them, and Carla looked-at-him suspiciously, knowing that he wasn't telling the Officer's everything that he could remember…..

"We've managed to get the car's registration number GU33 QQI. Do you know the owner of this car Peter?" The Officer questioned.

"That's my car." Rob said as he entered the hospital-room. "Alright there Peter? Carla?" He continued.

"And your name is sir?" Asked the Officer.

"Rob….." He began before Carla interrupted-him.

"Rob's my brother…..But he wasn't the one driving the car….." Carla trailed-off as Peter butted-in.

"Yeah…..urm…..Rob's car was stolen a couple of weeks ago…..But we don't know who by?" Peter stated. Both Rob and Carla wondered why he had just lied to the police, all three of them knew that Ryan had been the one to steal the car on the same-day as the accident.

"Right…..But Peter, don't you find it a bit odd that the very-same car has ended-up inside your betting-shop and almost killed-you?" The Officer asked, curiously.

"Listen I'm sorry officer, I'm really tired…..And as for the accident…..Well it's all a blur…..I just need some-time to get me head-together….." Peter said, making-up excuses to get-rid of the guy.

"Okay, I'll come-back tomorrow morning, alright?" The Police-Officer told the three of them before then heading-out of the room and the hospital.

"What the HELL was that mate?" Rob asked, demanding to know why Peter had just lied to the Police, forcing Carla and himself o agree with him so that Peter wouldn't get-into trouble for lying to the Police.

"I can't get Ryan sent-down…..I won't be the person to do that….." Peter explained.

"But darlin'…..He almost killed-ya!" Carla told Peter gently.

"I know he did…..But he wasn't out to get-me was he? So what, he's fallen-off the rails…..I've done that plenty of times…..And what you need when that happens, is support, not people trying to get you flamin' sent-down!" Peter said firmly, raising his voice a little, taking all the energy out of him as he rested his head-back against the pillow and closed his eyes as he tried to get his breath-back.

"Alright baby calm-down ey? Just think-about-it will ya?" Carla pleaded-with-him.

"Oh don't give-him sympathy Carla! He's just lied to the police…..I'm an ex-jail-bird, if the coppers find-out that I'm involved this lie then I'm done-for. I'm finished! Come-On Peter, stop protecting Ryan, he doesn't deserve-it!" Rob said viciously at Peter before he then stormed-out of the room.

"My Brother's right sweetheart….." Carla told Peter softly as she squeezed his hand tightly.

* * *

Rob went back to the Rovers and ordered a beer from the bar. Ken and Deirdre had left by now, but Leanne was still about, and was also stood at the bar, next to Rob. "Hey….." She trailed-off.

"Hi?" Rob said, slightly confused as to why his sisters arch-enemy was talking to him like they were the best-of-mates.

"Are you alright?" Leanne asked, wondering why Rob had seemed so wound-up when he had first walked-into the pub.

"Ah it's nothing….." Rob trailed-off, not exactly wanting to talk to Leanne, but he was trying his best to just be civil with her, there was no-reason to be rude to her. Just because Carla didn't like-her, it didn't mean that he couldn't.

"Are you sure?" Leanne continued to question-him.

"Yeah…..It's just my Sister's boyfriend is winding me up….." Rob revealed to Leanne.

"What? Peter? What's he done now?" Leanne sighed, fed-up with Peter's trouble-making.

Rob paused as he thought about how to respond to that questioned. "Nothing….." He simply replied with.

"Right. Well…..If you want to talk…..Then ya know where I am right? I mean…..I do live here….." Leanne giggled before she then wandered-off into the back, leaving Rob confused and wondering what that was all-about.

* * *

**_Please-Review! _**


	6. Chapter 6

Carla had gone-home that night to get Peter some things to do whilst he was in the hospital. She grabbed him some magazines and a change of clothes for him and then went to bed. She didn't know how she was going-to convince Peter to tell the Police the truth. But she loved-him too much to fall-out with him over-it, and it was the last-thing he needed whilst he was still recovering.

The next-morning, she went back to the hospital, where Peter was still-asleep. So Carla took a seat next to the bed and waited for him to wake-up. Eventually, Carla got bored of waiting for him to wake-up, and as much as it killed-her to do it, she leaned-over and cheekily started to gently poke him in the cheek until he woke-up.

Peter fidgeted as he began to wake-up, wondering what it was that kept-on touching his cheek. Carla giggled playfully as Peter rested his eyes on her and clicked that it was infact her poking him in the cheek. "Morning Sleepy." Carla said to him sweetly.

"Morning." Peter replied, a little croakily from where he had only just woken-up.

"You're looking better sweetheart." She said to him softly.

"Really? Well I haven't had much sleep. It's difficult to sleep and breathe at the same-time when half of Weatherfield Bookies landed-on your chest a couple of days ago." Peter joked, and Carla laughed a little before turning the conversation into a serious one.

"Hmmm, and speaking of the crash. You need to tell the Police what really happened Baby." Carla told-him, gently but truthfully.

Peter sighed. "No. I can't do that to Ryan. I WON'T." He told Carla, shifting uncomfortably as he felt a pain in his chest.

"Are you alright?" Carla asked him worriedly.

"Yeah I'm fine…..Well apart from being led in a hospital bed having almost died a couple of days ago, and now I'm being pestered by the flamin' Police!" Peter said, raising his voice as he got frustrated by the conversation, but as he got too worked-up he became breathless and cried-out in pain as his breathing quickened.

"Peter calm-down ey? I'm gonna go and get the Doctor." Carla said as she popped her head around the door. "Doctor?" She called, and the Doctor treating Peter came-running-over and through to the room.

The Doctor placed an oxygen-mask over Peter's face. "Just try and breathe normally Peter. Okay?" He ordered-him.

"What brought this on?" The Doctor asked.

"I dunno. You're the expert!" Carla said, sounding angry with worry.

"Well was he stressed-about anything at all?" He questioned.

"Oh no just an on-going Police Investigation….." Carla trailed-off sarcastically.

"Right, well you need to keep-him-calm, until his lungs have fully-recovered, he's gonna be very-weak. He needs to be taking-it easy not worrying about what the Police want. Alright?" The Doctor told Carla, politely but firmly.

"Right. Well why don't you tell the Police that ey?" Carla suggested, if the Doctor could delay the Police for a little-while-longer, then she had a bit more-time to convince Peter to tell the truth about Ryan.

Michelle later went to the hospital, along with Cieran. She had heard from Rob about Peter trying to protect Ryan, and as much as she didn't want-to, and was thankful to Peter for lying to the Police for Ryan's sake, she couldn't allow him to do that any-longer. Ryan had to be punished for his actions and that was final.

"Hiya." Michelle said as she walked-in, and was closely followed by Cieran.

"Hey?" Carla said, surprised that Michelle was here as she stood-up and hugged her best-friend/Sister-in-Law as Cieran walked-over to Peter.

"How are ya mate?" Cieran asked as the girls came and joined the two-lads.

"Not Great….." Peter trailed-off quietly as he looked at Carla for help.

"We've urm…..We've had a bit of a rough-morning." Carla told both Cieran and Michelle as she swapped placed with Cieran and took Peter's hand into her own before she then kissed Peter on the forehead and mouthed 'I Love You' to him.

"Oh No that's not good." Michelle said, a little-awkwardly, before then deciding to change the subject and get to the point as to why she was here. "Anyway Peter, I need to urm…..I need to talk to you….." She began.

"Go On….." Peter encouraged-her.

"Well I urm…..I hear you've been keeping Ryan's name-out of the whole thing, and I can't thank-you enough….." She continued.

"Well that's alright. I like Ryan he's a mate of mine….." Peter told-her, glad that someone was finally grateful for what he had done. It was about time.

"Well thank-you peter, but it's got to stop." Michelle explained as a tear fell from her eye. "Ryan…..He's beyond my control-now, and he deserves to be punished for what he's done to you Peter….."

"Oh come-on Michelle not you aswell, not Ryan's own-Mother? Surely Not? Look, Ryan didn't mean to crash into the Bookies, and he certainly didn't intend to injure-me….."

"Uh, he very-nearly killed-ya sweetheart." Carla Intervened.

"Yeah. Fine. He nearly killed-me, but it was an accident!" Peter told-them.

"Peter please don't make this even more difficult for me than it already is!" Michelle told Peter tearfully. "Ryan needs to learn that there are consequences for doing stupid things like this….."

"He's not a 5 Year-Old Michelle….." Peter trailed-off.

"SHUT-UP PETER!" Michelle shouted at him before sighing as she lowered the volume of her voice back-down again. "Please Peter, for my sake if not Ryan's, just tell the truth the Police…..Please?" She begged-him, and Peter sighed as he looked-down, unable to think if he was looking at anyone.

"Come-On Mate. She's Desperate." Cieran added, hoping that as Peter's best-mate, he could convince-him to do the right-thing and tell the truth to the Police.

"Peter. Baby. Come-On." Carla started, placing two of her fingers underneath Peter's chin and pushing his head-up so that he was forced to look at Carla. "You know you have-to. Don't ya darlin'? Ya know it's the right thing to do really? Right?" Carla asked him softly, looking-at-him directly into the eyes.

Peter looked-into Carla's eyes for a couple of seconds for sighing and then looking-away. "Yeah…..yeah you're right…..Ryan needs to be punished….." Peter told the three of them, hating himself for the fact that he was about to send a fellow-addict to Prison. Admittedly Peter's addiction wasn't illegal like Ryan's one was, but it hurt just as much none-the-less.

Michelle burst into tears as Peter agreed to tell the Police the truth. Cieran hugged her tightly as she cried into his chest.

"Look at her Carla. This is gonna kill-her." Peter said, feeling horrible as he watched Michelle fight through utter-devastation.

"She knows that it's the right thing to do Baby. And so do you." Carla whispered to Peter tenderly as she gently rubbed his cheek with her thumb.

"Yeah but…..Ryan…..He doesn't deserve this. He needs help not prison. Come-On Carla you know that. Prison won't help-him, it'll just make-him worse….." Peter said, close to tears himself as he watched Michelle cry into Cieran's arms.

"Maybe going to Prison will be the wake-up-call that Ryan needs sweetheart….." Carla trailed-off as she leaned-over the bed and then kissed Peter on the lips as the Police-Officer wandered into the room.

"Peter…..I'm here to continue the investigations….." The Police-Officer said straightly as Peter prepared himself to send a wayward lad to Prison for a very-long-time.

* * *

**_Please-Review!_**


	7. Chapter 7

Peter spent the rest of the afternoon explaining to the Police Officer what he knew. If his injuries didn't make him feel bad enough, all of this was just making him feel worse. Peter felt horrible; disgusted with himself that he had given-in to what everyone had told-him to do. Ryan was gonna hate him for this. Carla stayed by Peter's side the whole-time, gripping his hand tightly in support of her boyfriend. The Copper has asked Michelle to leave the room as she was Ryan's Mother, and Cieran took her back to the street, where they awaited news of Ryan's arrest as they sat in The Rovers together.

"And are you sure that-that's the truth this time Mr Barlow?" The Police-Officer Questioned.

Peter sighed before answering. "Yeah…..Yeah, that's the truth." He replied sadly. "But please…..Call-me Peter…..And…..When you talk to Ryan…..Keep my name-out of it will-you? I don't want-him to know that it was me who shopped-him to the police." Peter told the Copper.

"Right, well thank-you for your time Peter. See you soon." The Copper said before he then left the room.

Peter rested his head back against the pillow as he shut his eyes and sadly sighed-again. "Hey. Well Done Baby. I know that wasn't easy for you." Carla told him softly.

"He doesn't deserve this Carla…..He REALLY doesn't deserve this….." Peter trailed-off as the Doctor entered the room.

"Evening Peter, Carla." The Doctor greeted them both with a smile, he seemed to be quite positive this evening. He was holding a pair of crutches in his hand.

"Hey." Peter replied.

"Any news?" Carla asked the Doctor.

"Yes! I'm pleased to say that you've made a good-recovery. You are free to go home this-evening if you wish too." The Doctor said before he then walked-over to the side of Peter's bed. "You're gonna need to use these to get-about for a while." He told-Peter as he helped him-up and then handed-him the crutches.

Peter groaned. "How long for?" He asked, remembering how much having crutches annoyed-him after the tram-crash just over a year ago.

"Broken-Legs usually take about 6 Weeks to heal properly." The Doctor told Peter as he tried to stand-up.

"Right…..Well thanks Doctor." Peter said, balancing himself against the bed as he held his hand out to the man who had saved his life just a few-days-ago. The pair-shook hands before the Doctor then left the room.

Carla smiled at Peter. "Right then. Let's you get you home ey?" Carla stated, excited to finally have her boyfriend-home, she had felt lost on the Street without-him being-there, by her side, every-step of the way.

* * *

Back in the Rovers, Leanne had spotted Ryan and Rob enter. Ryan had walked-over to sit with his Mother and Cieran, leaving Rob sat-alone at the table. She sat-down opposite-him.

"Hey." Leanne greeted-him happily.

"Oh! It's You. Well, hello again….." Rob replied politely.

"How are you?" She Asked.

"Yeah I'm fine…" He trailed-off, not particularly interested in talking to Leanne as he knew that Carla hated-her-guts.

"Good….." Leanne replied, Rob couldn't be making this anymore awkward for her.

"So, how long are you sticking around for then?" She asked, trying to create conversation with him.

"Not Long. What about you? You seem to appear everytime I'm in the room….." Rob said, trying to make-it come-across as a joke, but he was getting kind-of irritated by her presence.

"Oh. Well. I'm Sorry…..I didn't realise I was such a bother to you….." Leanne responded, put-out by his sarcastic-joke. The evil-sarcasm seemed to run-through the family.

"So what did you want then?" Rob asked, getting to the point, he didn't want to go upsetting anyone when he had barely-been-here for three-months yet.

"I just came-over for chat really….." Leanne trailed-off as she lied, she wanted plenty-more from him than just that and Rob knew that all too well.

"Well I'm Sorry Leanne, but you're gonna have to come-up with a better excuse than that to win me over…..Because we both know you wouldn't mind getting-me into your bed." Rob Joked, knowing that it was the truth.

Leanne looked-away shyly, embarrassed that Rob had caught-onto her.

Rob Just Laughed at her. "Oh Come-On don't go all shy on me Leanne! If you'd have kept-it-up, who knows, I might have given-in, I mean, you're quite attractive….." Rob flirted as he shot her a cheeky-wink, suddenly changing his tune. Rob's Sister was busy with Peter, she wasn't about to walk-in on them flirting, what did he have to loose? Rob thought to himself as he continued the conversation with Leanne.

* * *

Carla and Peter had just arrived home, back in the flat, which was now safe to bein again, where they were greeted by Ken, Deirdre, and a very excited Simon as Peter hopped into the room on his crutches, lovingly supported by Carla.

"DAD!" Simon called-out excitedly as he happily ran-over to his Dad and gave-him a hug.

"Ah! Ow! Careful Son." Peter said as he ruffled-up his son's curly hair.

Simon pulled-away and frowned as he realised that his Dad was in pain. "What's wrong Dad?" Si asked sadly.

"Your Dad's just come-out of hospital sweetheart." Deirdre explained as she placed her hands onto Simon's shoulders as she stood-behind-him.

"Like the tram-crash?" He asked innocently, and Peter's head dropped-down in sadness, he didn't want to re-live those painful memories, and he didn't fancy explaining to his son what had happened to the bookies either, and why he had just come-out of hospital.

"Yeah a bit like that son. A bit like the tram-crash." Peter said quietly as Carla helped-over to the sofa, where he sat-down and Simon cuddled-up next to him.

"Hmmm well it's good to have you home anyway." Ken started. "Have you heard anything from the police?" He asked.

"Yeah I've urm…..I've told-them about…..Well about Ryan ya know….." Peter trailed-off, immediately regretting mentioning Ryan's name, as Simon's head-shot-up at the mention of his older-friend's name.

"What about Ryan?" Simon asked.

"On nothing mate….." Peter lied.

"Dad I'm not stupid. Tell-me!" Simon pushed.

"I can't do this Carla." Peter said worriedly as he looked-into Carla's eyes.

"Ya can't do what sweetheart?" Carla asked.

"Shop Ryan to the police." Peter replied simply.

"What does that mean Dad?" Simon questioned, and shot a glance at Peter before moving-over towards Simon. "Urm, Simon, why don't we go and read a book in your room hey? You can choose your favourite one." Ken suggested to Simon, trying to get-him away from this conversation.

"Yeah okay!" Simon agreed happily as he led both Ken and Deirdre into his bedroom.

"Thanks Dad." Peter said gratefully. "Yeah thanks Ken." Carla added before she then moved to sit next to Peter.

"Peter. Listen to me darlin'. Ryan deserves everything he gets okay? And I know you want to help-him, and not send him to prison. But baby. Who wants a druggy like Ryan living on the streets ey? Won't you feel that Simon is much safer once people like him are put-away?" Carla tried to re-assure Peter, but he wasn't having any of it.

"And what exactly is that suppose to mean eh?" Peter reacted angrily to Carla's statement. "Because I'll tell-ya now Carla, if you think that this Street will be a safer-place to be without Ryan, then maybe it would be a safer place to be without me n all!" Peter shouted angrily as he tried to stand-up with his crutches, but it pained him too much to do so and he collapsed back down into the sofa.

"Darlin' take-it easy." Carla told Peter. "I wasn't saying that….." She tried to explain herself.

"Yeah well it certainly sounded-like-it. Ya know what Carla? If that's how you're gonna see things then maybe us Barlow's should just clear the Street altogether ey? My Sister's an ex-murderer. My Dad abandons his kids for actresses on barges, and Deirdre smokes more than I do! Ya know what? Maybe it isn't Ryan that's the problem here Carla!" Peter shouted into Carla's face.

"And ya know what Peter? I was just trying to help-ya! I was just trying to make ya see that what Ryan did was wrong and that he deserves to be punished for it. He almost killed-ya for goodness-sake! I wasn't suggesting anything about all addicts, but people like Ryan? They won't accept that what they are doing is flamin' dangerous! You're different, you stay clear of the booze, and yeah you've made mistakes in the past, haven't well all? But you've got help, you've forced-away that drinking-habit, but I'd bet you any amount of money that Ryan will be off his face again by this evening if the Police don't arrest him soon!" Carla told Peter firmly before gently pulling-him in for a hug, she couldn't be angry at him for long, she knew that he was protective-over Ryan, but she had to make Peter realise that he was doing the right-thing here by having Ryan arrested.

"It'll be okay Baby. I promise." Carla whispered to Peter as she held-him closely. "Ryan will be okay." She added. "He's a tough-lad."

* * *

At the Rovers, the Police has just arrived, and the whole-pub suddenly fell-silent. "Is Ryan Connor in here?" The Police-officer asked.

Rob looked-over at Ryan from another table and shook his head at him as if to silently-say. – _'Don't own-up to being you.' _

Ryan sat there trying his best not to attract any attention to himself as he took Rob's advice to remain silent. Michelle looked curiously at her son, why wasn't he owning-up? Why was he just sitting there? Michelle nudged Ryan gently but slyly to try and grab her son's attention.

Ryan looked-up at his Mother, who gave-him a look. – A look that Ryan knew exactly what it meant.

"I'll ask again. Is Ryan Connor in here?" The Police-Men repeated-himself, a little-more authoritatively this time-around due to the lack of response from the last-time that he had asked the exact-same-question.

Ryan sighed. He knew what was coming. He leaned-over and kissed his Mum on the cheek. "Bye Mum. I Love You. I'm Sorry." He whispered-into her ear before he then stood-up and revealed-himself to the Police-Officer.

"Me. I'm Ryan Connor." Ryan said bravely as Michelle burst into floods of tears whilst Ryan was being arrested and then handcuffed, before he was then shuffled-away by the Police-Officers.

* * *

Peter was stood by the window, using his crutches for support as he watched the Police-Officers push Ryan into the back of a Police-Car. Carla walked-over to Peter and wrapped her arms around him from behind, peering her head over his shoulder as she too watched the events unfold outside as the Police-Sirens began and the Police-Car then began to drive-away, with Ryan in it.

Carla softly pressed her lips against Peter's cheek. "It was the right thing to do." She whispered into his ear as the Police-Car disappeared out of sight.

"Was It?" Peter questioned, completely doubting his decision to dob Ryan into the Police.

* * *

_**Please-Review! **_


End file.
